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Websleuths News

On the latest edition of Websleuths Radio we tackle the Rebecca Zahau murder case and the big mistake made in the autopsy report of the Las Vegas shooter.
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PA - Nicole Bryner, 3, Pittsburgh, 11 March 1982

This gorgeous little girl has been missing since 1982 when she was 3 years old. She was with her mother in a supermarket and was sitting in a shopping cart. When her mother turned around to get something Nicole just seemed to disappear! Nicole disappeared from Pittsburgh.

Nicole Bryner's mother told police her daughter was abducted March 9, 1982 at a Giant Eagle in the South Side.
An extensive search provided few clues as to her whereabouts. Four years later, the mother's then-boyfriend allegedly confessed he had punched Bryner and accidentally killed her. Police never found the body he allegedly buried in a wooded area along Timberland Road in Brookline. Charges were never brought against the suspect, despite the alleged confession he made while serving time on burglary charges. Nicole has never been found.

There is a little more info on charleyproject.org. The charges were dropped against the boyfriend for lack of evidence (even though he confessed?) The mother was arrested for hindering prosecution and lying to authorities. The boyfried claims she helped him bury Nicole.

There is a little more info on charleyproject.org. The charges were dropped against the boyfriend for lack of evidence (even though he confessed?) The mother was arrested for hindering prosecution and lying to authorities. The boyfried claims she helped him bury Nicole.

Absolutely! How could a mother side with someone who had taken their childs life? I would feel justice had not been done till I had taken theirs - never mind help them get out of it by disposing of the body!

There needs to be more than a confession to prove murder. Nutcases confess all the time to crimes they did not commit. The police have to be able to corroborate the statement, for example if they had Nicole's body, or a witness to the murder, something like that.

There has been a break through in this case. Please see the other thread in Cold Cases for links.

Widman, the mothers boyfriend who initailly confessed to the crime has been arrested. It is not known what new evidence has been found but its not thought to be Nicoles body. He is now 51 years old and is currently in jail.

This has always been one of my 'pet cases' if you like and I look Nicole up often - delighted with this! You never know what other cases will finally be solved or have progress made on them!

Her sister, Marie, claims she suffered a breakdown. She was digging up her front yard in Texas looking for Nicole. She also said that complications from back surgery had something to do with it. Marie claims Widman hit Melody as well and threatened her not to tell the police what happened. Rumors had it they both did drugs. Another case of a mother choosing her boyfriend and his lifestyle rather than being a good parent. I think she died of a guilty conscience.

Another article from today talks about the police investigation back in 1982 and 1986.

Its amazing isnt it - how many choose their partners freedom over their own flesh and blood? But how can they possibly carry on 'as normal' after that? Isnt there any resentment from the childs relative towards their childs killer? Or is their 'love' really that blind!